Charlie Dennard

Biography

Charlie Dennard (born November 3, 1969) is an American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader known for blending New Orleans jazz, Brazilian music, and contemporary groove-based styles.[1][5] He grew up in the United States and later rooted his career in New Orleans, where he completed a Master’s degree in Music at the University of New Orleans in 1998, studying jazz performance and arranging in the city’s rich musical environment.[2][8] During this period he absorbed the traditions of modern New Orleans jazz and was mentored by influential pianist and educator Ellis Marsalis, deepening both his harmonic language and his sense of swing and lyricism.[3][8]

Over the last two decades, Dennard has performed extensively across the United States and internationally as both a sideman and bandleader, eventually becoming musical director for Cirque du Soleil’s touring productions, including a decade-long tenure that took him around the world.[1][4][6][7] His own recordings, such as "From Brazil to New Orleans" and "Deep Blue," showcase his command of piano and organ, marked by inventive, rhythmic, and soulful playing that draws on straight-ahead jazz, New Orleans funk, and Brazilian rhythmic concepts.[3][4][5][6] Reviewers have noted that his writing and arranging emphasize melodic clarity, rich chord voicings, and global influences, reflecting years spent collaborating with international artists and working in large-scale, theatrical musical settings.[4][5][6]

Dennard’s musical style is often described as multi-dimensional: at once firmly grounded in the jazz tradition and open to Latin, Brazilian, and world-music textures.[3][4][5][6] His work as a musical director and educator has given him a broader legacy beyond his own albums, as he has shaped the sound of touring ensembles, coached musicians in complex show environments, and helped bridge the aesthetics of jazz improvisation with the demands of contemporary production and stage performance.[4][6][7][8] Though not a mainstream household name, he is respected among peers and critics for his versatility, his refined keyboard technique, and his ability to integrate diverse musical cultures into a coherent personal voice.[3][4][5][6]

Fun Facts

• Dennard spent around ten years touring the world with Cirque du Soleil, first as an assistant bandleader and then as musical director, giving him an unusually global perspective for a jazz keyboardist.[4][6][7]
• His album "From Brazil to New Orleans" explicitly links two of his major musical passions, combining Brazilian rhythms and harmony with New Orleans jazz and funk aesthetics.[4][5]
• Critics have described his keyboard style on "Deep Blue" as inventive, rhythmic, soulful, and at times reminiscent of classic Hammond organ traditions while still sounding contemporary.[3][6]
• Before his long tenure on the road, he completed a Master’s degree in Music at the University of New Orleans in 1998, cementing his ties to the city’s modern jazz scene.[2][8]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Ellis Marsalis - Dennard studied jazz at the University of New Orleans, where he was mentored by pianist and educator Ellis Marsalis as part of his graduate work. (Graduate jazz studies and ensemble work at the University of New Orleans) [circa mid-1990s to 1998]

Key Collaborators

• Cirque du Soleil touring ensembles - Served first as assistant bandleader and later as musical director, collaborating with multinational casts of musicians and performers on large-scale touring productions. (Various Cirque du Soleil touring shows (including a decade of world touring as musical director)) [approximately 2000s–2010s]
• New Orleans jazz and Brazilian music artists - Collaborated with local and international musicians for his projects that fuse Brazilian music with New Orleans jazz, including the album "From Brazil to New Orleans." (Album "From Brazil to New Orleans" and related live performances) [2000s–2010s]

Artists Influenced

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Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Itape (feat. Doug Belote, Tommy Sciple, Josh Geisler & Brian Seeger) (From Brazil to New Orleans)
2. Song For You (All Lit Up)
3. Capoeira Mata Um (feat. Doug Belote, Michael Skinkus, Eric Lucero, Ray Moore, Brent Rose, Rick Trolsen, Rick Musallam & Jason Mingledorf) (From Brazil to New Orleans)
4. Abrindo A Porta (feat. Steve Masakowski, James Mack, Doug Belote, Tommy Sciple & Jack Craft) (From Brazil to New Orleans)
5. Asa Branca (feat. Eric Lucero, Matt Perrine, Josh Geisler, Brent Rose, Ray Moore, Rick Trolsen, Michael Skinkus & Gerald French (Drums)] (From Brazil to New Orleans)
6. Quando O Galo Cantar (feat. Matt Perrine, Brent Rose, Rick Trolsen, Annette Bauer, Michael Skinkus, Gerald French, Eric Lucero & Ray Moore) (From Brazil to New Orleans)
7. Senhorinha (feat. Jack Craft) (From Brazil to New Orleans)
8. Valsa Luisiana (feat. Doug Belote, Tommy Sciple, Scott Myers & Billy Hulting) (From Brazil to New Orleans)
9. Africa Mae (feat. Doug Belote, Billy Hulting & Scott Myers) (From Brazil to New Orleans)
10. Ganga Zumbi (feat. Brent Rose, Steve Masakowski, Tatiana Parra, Doug Belote & Tommy Sciple) (From Brazil to New Orleans)

External Links

• Spotify